Scott Simon - Scare Your Soul: 7 Powerful Principles to Harness Fear and Lead Your Most Courageous Life

At 6:00 p.m. on a freezing December 21st evening in 2020, I was all alone, perched on a folding chair in the middle of Cleveland Yogas darkened studio.

We were almost a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, and in an attempt to provide an extra dose of bravery during that confusing and fearful time, I was leading free courage meditations each week on Zoom. I sat calmly in the long rectangle of a studio, a brightly lit computer screen in front of me. I took a long, deep breath.

Just then, my phone began buzzing insistently.

Due to an email glitch, most of the regular meditation participants hadnt received the Zoom link, and they were all texting me to get it. So, while trying in vain to steady my own mind, I started to text them all back.

Thats when a single email popped up onto my screen. It read:

Hi, Scott and team Scare Your Soul,

Im the VP and Publisher of a new imprint at Hachette Book Group.

Ive become familiar with Scare Your Soul and believe what you are doing is so necessary, especially during this turbulent time. Id love to have a conversation with you about producing a book built around Scare Your Souls work.

I thought to myself: This has to be spam. What publisher actually reaches out to someone and asks them to write a book?

So, I deleted it.

It wasnt until three days later that I somehow remembered that unexpected but intriguing email, redeeming it from my trash folder. That single email launched me on the journey of a lifetime, one that concluded with the publication of this book.

There is a well-known tradition of authors squirreling themselves away in their lonely writers garret. And yes, while I did have many of those solitary writing days (often spent in abject terror as I contended with looming deadlines and soul-piercing crises of confidence), they were balanced beautifully by the collaboration with and inspiration from so many others.

And so, it is with greatest admiration that I thank my editor, Nana K. Twumasi, for believing in me. You provided the wise, steady guidance that brought the power of Scare Your Soul to life on the page. Thanks also go to the entire Balance, Hachette Book Group, and Grand Central Publishing teams, who are quite literally the best in the business.

Thank you to my literary agent, Lisa Leshne, and her entire team at the Leshne Agency for expert representation.

Thank you to the inspiring Scare Your Soul community: the team (I love you all); our passionate ambassadors who live our mission every day; and our tribe of soulsters, who act on our challenges and inspire us with their successes. And thanks to my dear Sara Kelly, the very first person who believed in our movement enough to get her own Scare Your Soul tattoo.

To a wise and devastatingly talented writer: thank you, Christa Parravani. Thank you to Tiffany Hawk, Laurie Kincer, and Joelle Reizes for your expert guidance. And thank you to the Cuyahoga County Library System and its William N. Skirball Writers Center, which became a second home to me.

Thank you to the brave souls who contributed their own personal stories to the book (or allowed me to interview them or tell their story): Kristina Ambrosia, Maria Baltazzi, Liz Bell, Wendy Diamond, Dahlia Fisher, Claire Fullerton, Ron Gottfried, Jesse Harless, Carly Israel, Brett Kaufman, Jenn Lim, Abby Maslin, Simone Noble, Johanna Ratner, Dave Romanelli, Swan Sit, Lisa Skye, SaraMarie Thellman, Danielle Valenti, Ethan Zohn and Jen Zivko of blessed memory.

Thank you to David and Caroline Selman for providing so much support, including a writers haven in Sun Valley.

To many forever-friends who provided me special support and inspiration during these months of writing: Greg Abrams, Shana Auerbach, Seth Briskin, Christopher Celeste, Robert Crane, Norm Friedman, Sandra Graubard, Kristin Humbarger, Kate Kaura, Lauren Leader, Derek Martin, Lisa Mayers, Katie OKeefe, Samara Smith, Ariana Starkman, Erica Starrfield, Kerri Tabasky, Sindy Warren, Whitney Wilkerson, Boriana Zaneva, and Noemi Zozaya.

To the positive psychology and mindfulness mentors whove taught me so much: Sharon Salzberg, Tal Ben-Shahar, and Maria Sirois.

To Samantha Baskind for your daily advice, support, and love.

To the best co-parent one could ever ask for: Laura Simon, I cant thank you enough for what you add to my life.

To Dana DeSantis, who handed me a card in the summer of 2021 that read A Winner Is A Dreamer Who Never Gives Up, and who has inspired me every single day since.

To my family who support me unconditionally: Mom, Dad, Drew, Lily, Cole, Lo, Greg, Maya, Eli, Aunt Sue, Aunt Gail, Susan, Rich, Maryn, and the entire extended Carman clan.

And finally, like anyone reading this book, I carry within my insides a multitude:

I am a son, a co-parent, a friend, a lover, a striver, an appreciator of vintage guitars and freezing cold martinis, a shy extrovert, a yogi, a world traveler, a wannabe boxer, a reader, an entrepreneur, a coach. But at my very core, I am but one thing. I am a father. My deepest experiences of lifeand the courage that has called to me with every step along the wayhave been as Dad to Noah and Teilah Simon.

To them I say thank you. I love you with all my heart.